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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bass — the fish
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — a position
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. sharp — clever
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bass — low music
  22. date — the fruit
  23. craft — boats
  24. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com